Multiply-fabric buffer-section manufacture



March 9 1926., 1,575,887

1 H. ZIMMERMAN MULTIPLY FABRIC BUFFER SECTION MANUFACTURE Filed June 4, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 9 1926 H. ZIMMERMAN MULTIPLY FABRIC BUFFER SECTION MANUFACTURE Filed June 4, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY March 9 1926.

' H. ZIMMERMAN MULTIPLY FABRIC BUFFER SECTION MANUFACTURE 1924 4 Sheets-Shet 5 Filed June 4 March 9 E1926.

' H. ZIMMERMAN -MULTIPLY FABRIC BUFFER SECTION MANUFACTURE Filed June 4,, 1924 4 ee 4 Patented Mar. 9,1926. 2'

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE.

mm: or rumour, omo.

HULTIPLY-FABBIG BUFFER-SECTION KANUFAC'DUBE.

' which the following is a specificatiom This invention relates to bufiers or fabric wheels and their manufacture.

This invention has utility when incorporated in multi-ply fabric bufling' wheels.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view, with parts broken away, of a machine for carrying out features of the invention herein; j

Fig. 2 is a view of a set-of plies as prev, liminarily anchored or tacked;

- continuous sewin of buff sections instead cutter of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view of the set of plies of Fig. 2 after trimming has occurred and with stitching thereof started;

Fig. 4 is a view of the finished buffer section with a perforation therethrough, and as assembled into a wheel, parts being broken away to show an intermediate im- Presnated ply;

Fig. 5 is a side view of the wheel of Fig. 4, parts being broken away;

' Fig. dis a view on an enlarged scale of features of the automatic buff shifting de- %ice and thread cutting mechanism of Fig. 7 is-a fragmentary view of the buff shifting device from the left of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged viewiof the thread Fig. 9 is a plan view of features of control of the cutter and shifter of the sections or sets of plies in the machine of Fig. 1;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary plan view of an endless chain type ofxtraveling table for of a circular tab e of Fig.1;

Fig. 11 is aview of a straight line trans- I versely sewed bufl section as produced from the machine of Fig, 10 with the lines through the center;

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 11, but with the-lines of stitching as center;

\ Fig. 13 is, a plan view of the race or track for carrying buffer seats in effecting sewing similar to the endless vertical plane type of carrier of Fig. 1Q; u

Fig. 14 is afragmentary plan view of the carrier and tab e wherein the seats are carried upon relatively movable arms in-" change of adjustment by shifting between 1924. Serial 1T0. 717,910.

stead of upon a rigid wheel as shown in Fig. 1, thus permitting various sizes of buffs to be conveniently accommodated in the same structure as well as permitting a ready theaxis of the arm carrier and the machine head to provide a different transverse stitching position for the respective, bllfiS as throughthe center, slightly over, or slight- 'ly shortof the center, or such other are;

stitching line as may be desired;

Fig. 15 shows '9. buff with intersecting.

stitches beyond the center; and Fig. 16 shows, the buif having a stitching line just short of thecenter.

Motor 1 is shown'as connected to drive I sewing machine head 2 as well as connected for rotating pulley 3 from which extends belt 4 for rotating pulley 5 fast with stem 6 mounted for rotation in bearing 7 as abase. This stem 6 carries main,table or rotating platform 8 about which may extend station-.

'ary platform 9. There is clearance region 10 adjacent the sewing head 2 between the platform 9 as a stationary table and the rotaik ing table 8 for operation of the stitching mechanism of the sewing head 2. This table is provided with a plurality of seats- 11 permitting mounting of the material to be operated upon in an annular series on this table 8.

In practice, fabric sections 12 ofpoly onal or irregular form may be mounted w1th warp and woof threads of one ly 12 at an angle to the warp and woof t reads of the next and adjacent ply 13. These lies as arranged. in a set may be anchore together by tacking or preliminary stitching 14. The periphery lrregularity may be trimmed to produce circular plies 15 to fit in-the seats 11 or the table-8. The group or set of anchored plies as placed in the respective seats 11 may be so held by arm 16 normally thrown against t tion of the pl by spring 17. I

' The rate of rotation of the table 8 is such as to take stitch feeding strain off the stitch-- ing device of the sewing machine head 2,

and hold assembled plies in the seat 11 against disturbance either by the stitching head, stationary table 9, or other disturbing influence.

AB P s 18 may be continuous one set of plies 15 to the adjacent set of. plies with such plies in proximity for practical e upper porl the stitchin head '2, stitching I 'rectly from one continuity of stitching. Carried by bracket means 19 from the base 7 is cam 20 beneath the table 8. This cam 20, as a bufi' or ply section has passed the sewing head 2, has increased radlus portion 2 1 into which s aps roller 22 as actuated by spring 23 thereby snapping outwardly hook knife 24 over the thread of the stitching lsbetween adjacent sets of buifs.

In the continuation of the travel. of the table 8, away from the stitching head 2, this hook knife 24 is gradually drawn inward by the cam 20 to draw the thread of the stitching 18 against fixed knife 25 to eflect severing of the stitching 18 between the adjacent sections of plies being sewed or assembled. Each knife 24 of the plurality of such knives as indicated in Fig. 1,. is successively o erated by cam in each com- 20 lete rotation of the table 8. Thus, one Enife cuts the threads from the stitching line or lines as extending between adjacent assembled groupings of plies. The threads thus out are the threads from the stitchings as formed in the single rotation-of the table 8 subsequent to the previous cutting action by such knife. Accordingly, as these sets of plies at once pass away from the stitching head 2, the continuous stitching line is severed to render the sets independent.

When this cutting is completed there is l efi'ected an angular shifting of the respective sets of .plies to present a different line for stitching when such sets of plies again reach the sewing head 2. To this end,

bracket 26 carried by the base 7 is provided with replaceable variable length friction block 27 as mounted in position by set screw 28. This bracket 26 also carries cam 29.

This cam 29 rides against roller 30 on depending arm 31 pivoted to the buff engaging blding arm 16. Accordingly, the cam 29 v is effective for lifting the arm 16 clear of the partially stitched set of fabric plies, and

while such armis so lifted, the friction block 27 engages the friction disc 32 for effecting thedesired step or turning action of shaft 33 carrying pin wheel 34 coacting through opening 35' to engage the under side of the set of plies and as slightly out of radial position as to the table 8 urge the set of plies into the pocket 11 with a simultaneous progressing action upon such set of plies to give a degree of shifting whether 3 or 10 or such other distance as may be found desirable for the particular type of bufi being produced. I

It is, accordin 1y, lear that in the opera tion of the machine of Fig. 1, the tacked and trimmed sets of plies as introduced into theseats 11 are automatically cared for by i v a continuity. of stitching for roducing completely formed buffs wit intersecting stitchlngs; that as the stitching 1s con- 05 tinuous-from one bufi section to a succeeding bufi' section the thread may be cut and the ply shifted for the regular progress of the stitching in completing the buff section. The radius of the table 8 will determine the number of seats 11 which may be used as '70 well as the arc line ofthe stitching 18. The greater the radius, the more nearly the stitching line will approach a straight direction. v

A simple type of machine may be ado ted for straight line sewing as instanced in ig. 10. Stationary table "36 is shown as having thereon seats 37 of a traveling table, which traveling seats 37 of the traveling table are actuated by endless chain 38. Stitchinghead 8 .2 produces straight line of. stitching 39 while pulley 3 and belt 4 as driving pulley 5-is connected through gearing 40 to actuate the conveyor 38. While herein there may be automatic cutting as well as shifting, it is shown that the operator may cut the threads of the stitching 39 and take the section as, stitched from the right end of the machine and replace it at the left end of the machine at the desired angular stitching for the succeeding stitching line 39 therethrough. Hereas in Fig. 1, the capacity for stitching rate of the head 2 may be continuous with such number of threads and needles to carry such threads as may be found desirable in practice. In Fig. 1, shifting of the buds as i well as cutting may be manual. The straight line stitching 39 as shown in Fig. 10, may be directly through centrallyof the bufls as shown in Fig. 11, or by relative adjustments between the stitching head 2 and the conveyor or chain 38, such stitching may be to other desired extent 011? center as shown in Fig. 12.

Instead of the endless chain or conveyor i 38 as operating in a vertical plane, an endless carrier 41 may operate in a horizontal plane as shown in Fig. 13. Herein it is not so desirable to have the operator remove.the sets of butts and replace tothe op'positeside of the stitching head 2 for the continuous line or travel in a common plane permits the buds as hanging over from the seats 37 from the traveling table to rest atall times uponmay be automatic as in Fig. 1, or manual with manual angular shifting of the seats or shifting without removal of the sections from the seats 37. f

I In the showing in Fig. 14, seats 39 or 43 are provided u on extensible arms 44 mounted in central aring 45 tobe swung over stationar table 46 to be acted upon in a local region by sewing head 2. I The sets of plies may be anchored b central pin or seat 39 in which instance it is essential that stitching line 48be not through the center of. the set of bull plies. Here the arms as pass ing the stitching head 2 may have continuity of stitching 48 from one set of plies to an 180 the stationary table 36. The cutting here over or short 0 holding down 0? important.

adjacent set of plies. Such stitching may be severed and the arms swung about with the set of plies given an angular shift for the succeeding stitching line,'after swing'cutter 47 has automatically cut the stitching 48.

This mechanism is a simple one to permit not only accommodation of different sizes for the bufls as well as diflerent number of arms in use and different radial positions of the stitchin through the buffs whether the center.

These sets of plies of fabric embodying warp and woof are thus built up as sewed into bufi'er sections, These plies may, as to number, vary, but in practice may run say from eight to twelve to a section. In building up' a wheel for operation, it is desirable to tak more than one of these sections of plies a: assembled into a unit. To meet the condition of hi h speed of operation the temperature of the bufi is There is a great tendency to build up temperature due to high speed of rotation and the friction action upon the material subjected to the buff. This temperature is held down herein by impregnating a ply with stearic acid preferably of a melting point approximating 53 C. In

the operation of the buiiing wheel this stearic acid tends to melt and disseminate throughout the" fabric of the adjacent plies to keep the-temperature down.

To speed up the eflectiveness of operation of the bufling wheel, an abrading element may be incorporated therewith, and this is accomplished herein b dusting u on the ply as dipped in stearic acid the a rading material, as tripoli, in the form of a: dust or powder. Such ply 49 as impregnated with lubricant material herein, preferred as stearic acid, and further adapted as a carrier for abrasive in the form of tripoli, is

assembled between adjacent sewed plies, sections or units 50, as an intermediate ply in the buflIer wheel. This gives a range for effective operations as may be desired hereunder. In production the manufacturing operations are such as may .beeifected expeditiously with a continuity of sewing at a maximum advance rate of the sewing head 2 without any delays due to direction change. This means there is produced a uniformity of product with no crowding of the stock for irregularitiesin thickness of the plies, and that there is a smooth uniform resulting multi-ply fabric stitched assembled section readily adapted to the widest ranges of use by the simple variation in the num her and positioning of the transverse stitching lines.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The method of producing multi-ply fabric bufi'er sections comprising the step of grouping plies in superposed relation, each superposed grouping to form a set, said groupings to provide a plurality of sets; the step of disposing the groupings in a lineally extending series, havin an intermediate set in approximately abuttmg relation with adjacent sets in said series; the step of stitching through one set for securing the plies thereof together, and continuing such stitching in the region of said abutting relation to form stitching connection with said intermediate set, and still further continuing such stitching in the succeeding set in completin such stitching through said series of sets; t e step of severing the stitching connecting adjacent sets; the step of shifting a severed stitched set relatively to an adjacent set to obtain a different abutting relation; and the steps of repeating\ in sequence said stitching, severing and shifting steps, whereby a,

plurality of sections forming sets of plies receive partial stitching operations thereon in recurring succession.

2. The method of producing multi-ply .bufl'er sections comprising the step of grouping plies in superposed relation, each superposed grouping to form a set, said groupings to provide a plurality of sets; the step of disposing in a lineally extending series, having an mtermediate set in approximately abutting relation with adjacent sets in saidthrough said series of sets; the step ofsevering the stitching connecting adjacent sets; the step of shiftlng a severed stitched set angularly upon an axis within itself and relatively to an adjacent set to obtain a different abutting relation; and the steps of repeating in sequence said stitching, severing and shifting steps, whereby a plurality of sections forming sets of plies receive partial stitching operations thereon in recurring succession. o

In witness whereof I aflix my signature;

HARRY ZIMMERMANZ. 

